The future of Arts Council England, as well a whole swathe of other publicly funded entities, is under question after the UK government ordered a review of all arms-length bodies.
The work of the council, responsible for administrating public grants to the arts – independently from government and political control – will be under scrutiny of the new Public Bodies Review Programme. The V&A, the BFI, the National Lottery Community Fund and Historic England are also among the 295 public bodies under review. They join non-cultural arms length agencies such as the Met Office, HMRC, and the UK Space Agency.
The review, ordered by Jacob Rees-Mogg, government minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, will be run by the Cabinet Office. It seeks to reduce the ‘burden on the taxpayer’ with at least 5 percent savings, but will also consider whether each arms-length body should be ‘abolished or retained’, with a decision made within six months.
The review was announced as the V&A’s political independence was questioned after it offered a private tour as a lot in a Conservative party fundraising auction. At a separate party held by Rees-Mogg’s cabinet colleague, the Minister of State James Cleverly, attendees could bid for time with the museum’s chairman Nicholas Coleridge as he revealed ‘his 10 favourite items’ in the collection. Ben Elliot, a trustee of the London institution, is co-chair of the Conservative party and responsible for bringing donations to the party.
